Device for operating bulkhead doors



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DEVICE FOR OPERATING BULKHEAD DOORS Filed y 9, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 DL'ec/r/Qch W/.e re

rm RN 5% Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE DIEDRICH WIESE, F BREMEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM \ATLM WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, 0F BREMEN, GERMANY DEVICE FOR OPERATING BULKHEAD DOORS Application filed July 9, 1928, Serial No. 291,442, and in Germany July 11, 1927.

The invention relates to devices for opening and closing the doors of bulkheads of vessels from a central station and from their specific location by the pressure of a liquid.

i Particularly the invention relates to a device as set forth in which a cylinder enclosing a flying piston is arranged in the pressure liquid pipe near the door of the bulkhead and is connected with its center part to the cylinder displacing the door.

In devices for opening and closing the doors of bulkheads it is often required, that it be possible to simultaneously close and open all doors of the bulkheads from a central station, for instance from the pilot-bridge, and to close the several doors at their specific locations, and that it is, however, not possible to again open the doors at their locations, when they have been closed from the central station. To prevent in such case, wherein persons trapped in the rooms closed from the central station have no possibility to save themselves, all rooms are provided with ladders by means of which such persons may reach the deck. Furthermore in such installations a bell-signal is given shortly before the doors are closed so that the persons in the rooms have suificient time to leave the room.

One object of the present invention is to materially simplify the construction of a device as set forth.

According to international official regulations, persons enclosed in the rooms closed from a central station, must have the possibility of opening the doors to save them-' selves and in such cases care must be taken that the doors having been opened at the specific locations automatically close again, so that the vessel is not exposed to danger.

Another object of the invention is therefore to provide a device which complies'with these regulations.

Other objects of the invention are to simplify the device and to provide means by which the opening and closing of the doors is substantially faciltated.

In the accompanying drawings some modes of carrying the invention into effect are shown diagrammatically by way of example.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of the invention with the several parts of the device in the position which they occupy, if the door is to be closed at the location thereof when the main valve in the central station is turned to the position bulkheads open,

Fig. 6 1s a view of the same device with the several parts in the position which they usually occupy, if the main valve is turned to the position bulkheads open,

Figs. 7 and 8 are views of the same device with the several parts in the position, if the mam valve in the central station is turned to the position bulkheads closed F 1gs. 9 and 10 are similar views of the same device with the several parts in the position they occupy, if the doors are opened when the main valve in the central station is turned to the position bulkheads closed,

Fig. 11 shows a modified construction of the device according to the invention with the several parts in the position they occupy when the main valve in the central station is turned to the position bulkheads open and the four-way-valve is adjusted to the posiition for closing the door at the specific locaion,

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. llbut with the several parts of the device in the position they occupy when the main valve in the central station is turned to bulkheads open and i with the several parts of the device in the position they occupy, if the doors are opened when the main valve in the central station is turned to bulkheads closed,

Fig. 15 illustrates a modified construction of the device according to the invention showing the several parts in the position they occupy, if the door is closed at the specific location and the main valve in the central station is turned to bulkheads open,

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15 showing the usual position of the several parts of the device, if the door is to be opened at the specific location and the-main valve in the central station is turned to bulkheads open,

Fig. 17 shows the same device with the several parts in the position for closing the doors at the specific location, if the main valve in the central station is turned to bulkheads closed, and

Fig. 18 shows a corresponding view of the several parts in the position they occupy, if the doors are to be opened at the specific location and the main valve in the central station is turned to the position bulkheads closed.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the entire device is operated by liquid under pressure which is in a well known manner supplied from a suitable tank 1 and conveyed by a pipe 2 to a four-wayvalve 3 arranged in or actuated from the central station. The four-way-valve 3 is connected to the pipe 4 for opening the doors 5 of the bulkheads, the pipe 6 for closing the doors 5 and the pipe 7 which also leads to a tank 8, adapted to receive the water after it has performed work. Near each of the doors 5 of the bulkheads a cylinder 9 having a flying piston 10 is arranged in known manner. The center part of the cylinder 9 is,'by means of a pipe 11, connected to the cylinder 12 for closing the door 5. The piston 13 arranged in the cylinder 12 is, by a rod 14, connected to the door 5. One end of the cylinder 9 1s, by a pipe 15, directly connected to the four-wayvalve 16 arranged near the door 5 of the bulkhead. The four-way-valve 16 carries a handle 17 and is connected to the pipes 4 and 7. A ipe 18 directly connects the four-wayvalve 16 to the cylinder 12. The other end of the cylinder 9 is directly connected to the i e 6. P if the four-way-valve 3 in the central station is turned to the position bulkheads open, that is to say in the position adapted for opening all the doors 5 of the bulkheads, the pressure liquid flows from the tank 1 by way of the pipe 2, four-way-valve 3 and pipe 4 in the direction of the arrows, Figs. 1 and 2, to the four-way-valve 16 arranged near the bulkhead doors 5. According to Fig. 2 the pressure liquid flows from the fourway-valve 16 through the pipe 18 to the lower end of the cylinder 12, whereby the piston 13 is moved upwards and the door 5 opened. The water forced out of the cylinder 12 by the piston 13 flows through the pipe 11 to the cylinder 9 and from there through pipe 15, four-way-valve 16 and pipe 7 back to the tank 8, and if the piston 10 is at the opposite end of the cylinder 9, the liquid returns through pipe 6, valve 3 and pipe 7 to the tank 8.

If all bulkhead doors are opened and a single door 5 is to be closed at a specific location, the handle 17 of the corresponding fourway-valve 16 is turned to the position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the pressure liquid directly flows, by way of the pipe 4, cylinder 9 and pipe 11, to the cylinder 12, while the liquid displaced in the cylinder 12 by the piston 13 may fiow through the pipe 18, the four-way-valve 16 and pipe 7 back to the tank 8.

If the four-way-valve 3 in the central station is turned to the position bulkheads closed, i. e. the position adapted to close all bulkhead doors 5, the pressure liquid flows from the tank 1 through the pipe 2, the fourway-valve 3 and the pipe 6 in the direction of the arrows to the cylinder 9 and from there through the pipe 11 to the upper end of the cylinder 12, whereby the piston 13 is lowered and the bulkhead door 5 is closed. The water displaced by the piston 13 in the cylinder 12 flows according to Fig. 3 through the pipe 18, the four-way-valve 16 and the pipe 7 back to the tank 8. As shown in Fig. 4, the water displaced by the piston 13 in the cylinder 12 flows through the pipe 18, the four-way-valve 16, the pipe 4, the four-way-valve 3 and the pipe 7 back to the tank 8. Therefore, if the four-way-valve 3 in the central station is turned to the position bulkheads closed, all the bulkhead doors 5 are closed and cannot be again opened from their specific location.

The cylinder 9 carrying the flying piston 10 is in a well-known manner adapted to so operate, that, when the bulkhead door 5 is closed, pressure liquid always acts upon the upper surface of the piston, so that the closed bulkhead door under all circumstances remains in the closed position.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 5 to 10 the entire device also is operated by liquid under pressure which is in a well known manner supplied from a suitable tank 19 and passed by a pipe 20 to a four-way-valve 21 arranged in the central station. The fourway-valve 21 is connected to the pipes 22 for opening the doors 23 of the bulkheads, the pipe 24 for closing the doors 23 and the pipe 25 which extends to a tank 26 adapted to receive the water after it has performed work. Near each of the doors 23 of the bulkheads, a cylinder 27 having a flying piston 28 is arranged in known manner. The center part of the cylinder 27 is, by means of a pipe 29,

till

connected to the cylinder 30 for closing the door 23. The piston 31 arranged in the cylin der 30 is, by a rod 32, connected to the door nects the four-way-valve 36' to the cylinder.

30. The second four-way-valve 36 is also directly connected, by a pipe 38, to the other end of the cylinder 27 and communicates moreover with the pipe 24. Besides the connections stated above, the first four-wayvalve 34 is also connected to the pipes 22 and 25.

The handle 39 of the four-way-valve 36 is loaded by a weight 40 which may, however, also lie loaded by the pressure of a spring or 1i ui Tf the four-way-valve 21 in the central station is turned to the position bulkheads open, the several parts of the device occupy the position shown in Fig. 6. If now for any reason the bulkhead door 23 of a certain room is to be closed at the door itself, the four-way-valve 34 only needs to be shifted, whereupon the several parts occupy the po sition shown in Fig. 5. If, however, in the position bulkheads closed of the main fourway-valve 21 any of the bulkhead doors 23 must be opened at the door itself, the handle 39 of the four-way-valve 36 is lifted against the action of the load 40. As soon as the handle 39 is released the four-way-valve 36 returns to its normal position again. i. e. the pressure of the liquid acts again in the sense of closing of thebulkhead door.

By this arrangement, persons enclosed in the rooms after the bulkhead doors are closed have the possibility of saving themselves. The doors after opening are automatically closed and therefore the vessel is not exposed to danger. The just described arrangement,

therefore meets all international oilicial regulations.

Tn the modified constructlon illustrated in Figs. 11 to 14, the pressure liquid from thetank 41 is passed through the pipe 42 to a three-way-valve 43 which is connected, by a pipe 44 and branch pipes 45, 46 etc., to the large surface of a differential piston 48 slideably arranged in a cylinder 47. The small surface of the diiierential piston 48 is, by pipes 49, 50 etc., connected to the pressure pipe 51 which directly branches from the pipe 42. Branch pipes 52, 53 etc. extending from the pipes 49, 50 ct are connected to a four-wayvalve 54 and to the cylinders 55 for closing the doors. In each of these cylinders 55 a piston 56 is slidably arranged which is connected to tile door 58 of the bulkhead by means of a piston rod 57.

The lower surfaces of the cylinders 55 are, by means of the branch pipes 59, 60 etc., also connected to the four-way-valve 54 in the manner shown in the drawings. Uppesite the 'pipes 59, 60' etc., the pipes 61. 32 etc., branching from the waste water pipe 63 which leads to the waste water tank 64, run into the four-w'ay-valve 54. The waste water tank 64 is connected to the three-wayvalve 43 by a pipe 65. p

In Figs. 11 and 12 it is supposed, that the three-way-valve 43 arranged in the central station is adjusted to the position bulkheads open. In this case the. control pipe 44 is, through the three-way-valve 43, con nected to the waste water pipe 65. The pressure water permanently present in the pressure pipe 51 permanently acts upon the small surface of the differential piston 48.

If the handle 66 of the four-way-valve' 54 is brought to the position shown in Fig. 11 and locked by a pin 67 against return movement under the action of the d'iii'erential piston 48 also acting upon the four-wayvalve 54, the pressure water from the pipe 49 passes by way of the four-way-valve 54 to the upper side of the door closing cylinder 55 and the door58 of the bulkhead is closed. If this door is to be opened, the pin 67 is removed. By means of the differential piston 48 the four-way-valve 54 is then brought into the position shown in Fig. 12. The pressure water now passes through the branch pipe 60 (Fig. 12) to the lower face of the piston, while the upper face of same is, by means of the four-way-valve het, connected to the branch pipe 62 for "the waste water. The bulkhead door 58 is therefore lifted into the position illustrated in Fig. 12. This gives the possibility of closing the bulk head doors independent of the adjustment to bulkheads open in the-central station.

In Figs. 13 and 14 it is supposed, that in the central station, i. e. on the pilot-bridge, the three-way-valve 43 is turned to the position bulkheads closed. The pipe 42 new communicates by way of the three-way-valve 43 with the control pipe 44. Pressure water therefore acts upon both faces of the diflerential piston 48 which consequently rises into the upper position shown in Fig. 13. Hereby the four-way-valve 54, connected to the differential piston 43, is turned into the position shown in Fig. 13 in which the pressure water may pass to the upper end of the door closing cylinder 55 and the bulkhead door 58 may close. If new persons must still pass through the bulkhead door, the handle 66 is to be moved into the position shown in Fig. 14 only, whereby the pressure water is passed to the lower end of the door closing cylinder 55 and the upper end of this cylinder is connected to the waste water pipe 63. As soon as the handle 66 is released again, the bulkhead door is automatically closed, so that the vessel is in no way exposed to danger.

In this arrangement pressure and waste water pipes are constant and need not be controlledby a main control valve. Hereby it is for instance, possible to use the pressure water .ofvthe pipe permanently under pressure for loading the valve-cock for the actuation ofanuhydraulic coupling between the bulkhead door and the hand drive of same, in such a manner, that, if the hydraulic means is acting the hand drive is cut out and vice versa. Furthermore in this modification one reversing member only is used for each bulkhead door which member has one handle only, so that mistakes in operation are impossible. This reversing member may be operated'from the pilot-bridge as well as at the specific location of a door.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 15 18 the pressure liquid from a tank 71 is passed through a pipe 72 to a three-wayvalve' 73 arranged in the central station or upon the pilot-bridge. A control pipe 74 wit branch pipes 75, 76 etc. passes from this thre way-valve 73 to the lower face of a piston 78 slideably arranged in a cylinder 77. From the pressure water pipe 72 branches the pressure pipe 81 the branch pipes 82, 83 etc. are connected to a four-way-valve 84 and to the door closing cylinders 85. In each of these cylinders a piston 86 is slideably arranged which, by means of a piston rod 87, is connected to the bulkhead door 88.

The lower ends of the cylinders 85 are,

' by the branch pipes 89, 90 etc., also connected to the four-way-valve 84 in the manner shown in the drawings. Opposite these pipes 89, 90 etc., branch pipes 91, 92 etc. run into the four-way-valve 84 which pipes 91, 92 etc. branch from the waste water pipe 93 extending to the waste water tank 94. The latter is connected, by a pipe 95, to the threeway-valve 73.

In Figs. 15 and 16 it is supposed, that the three-way-valve 73 arranged in the central station is turned to the position bulkheads open. In this case the control pipe 74 is connected to the waste water pipe 95 through the three-way-valve 73. The four-way-valve 84 occupies the position shownin Fig. 16 and the bulkhead door 88 is opened according to the adjustment in the central station.

It the handle 96 of the four-way-valve 84 is brought into the position shown in Fig. 15, the pressure water from the branch 82 of the pressure pipe 81 flows through the four-way-valve 84 to the upper end of the cylinder 85 and forces the piston 86 together with the connected bulkhead door 88 into the closed position.

If the bulkhead doors are to be closed from the pilot-bridge, the three-way-valve 73 is brought into the position bulkheads closed (Figs. 17 and 18). The control pipe 74 is now, through the three-way-valve 73, connected to the pressure water pipe 72. The piston 78 is, as shown in Fig. 17, also forced upwards and has turned the four-way-valve 84, connected to its piston rod, into the position shown in Fig. 17. In this position the upper end of the cylinder 85 is, as shown in Fig. 15, connected to the pressure water pipe and the bulkhead door 88 is closed.

The bulkhead doors cannot be opened again from the central station, as the piston 78 would not return to its lowest position it the control pipe 74 would be connected to the waste water pipe 95. This return move ment is only possible by turning the handle 96 into the position shown in Fig. 18. In this position the lower end of the cylinder 85 is connected to the pressure pipe and the piston 86 is lifted together with the bulkhead door 88.

What I claim is:

1. A device for opening and closing bulkhead doors of vessels by liquid pressure from a central station and at the specific location of the doors, comprising a source of liquid pressure; a central four-way valve in pipe com munication with the source; a four-Way valve for each door in pipe communication with the central valve; a cylinder and flying piston for each door and in pipe communication at each end of the cylinder with the said valves; and a piston and cylinder for operating each door, said last-named cylinder being in pipe communication with the valves and the cylinder otthe flying piston at its central portion belng in pipe communication with the cylinder of the door to permit opening and closing of the door by means of the central valve as well as the door valve.

2. A device for opening and closing bulkhead doors of vessels by liquid pressure from a central station and at the specific location of the doors, comprising a source of liquid pressure; a central four-way valve in pipe communication with the source; a four-way valve for each door in pipe communication with the central valve; a cylinder and flying piston for each door and in pipe communication at each end of the cylinder with the said valves; a piston and cylinder for operating each door, said last-named cylinder being in pipe communication with the valves and the cylinder of the flying piston at its central portion being'in pipe communication with the cylinder of the door to permit opening and closing of the door by means of the central valve as well as the door valve; and a tank in pipe communication with the pipe installation between the valves adapted to receive the liquid exhausting from the cylinder of the door.

3. A device for opening and closing bulkhead doors of Vessels by liquid pressure from a central station and at the specific locationof the doors, comprising a source of liquid pressure; a central four-way valve in pipe communication with the source; a four-way valve for each door in pipe communication with the central valve; 9. cylinder and flying piston for each door and in pipe communication at each end of the cylinder with the said valves; a piston and cylinder for operating each door, said last-named cylinder being in pipe communication with the valves and the cylinder of the flying piston at its central portion being in pipe communication with the cylinder of the door to permit opening and closing of the door by means of the central valve as well as the door valve; and a second four-way valve for each door in ipe communication with the valves and cylinders and adapted to automatically return to a specific position after the second valve has been manually actuatedto'open the door to thereafter automatically return the door to its initial position.

4. A device for opening and closing bulkhead doors of vessels by liquid pressure from a central station and at the specific location of the doors, comprising a source of liquid pressure; a central valve in pipe communication with the source; a four-way valve for each door in pipe communication with the central valve; a cylinder and piston for each door; and a piston and cylinder for operating each door, said last-named cylinder being in pipe communication with the four-way valve and the first-mentioned cylinder to permit opening and closing of the door by means of the central valve as well as the door valve, said first-named piston and cylinder being adapted to permit or exhaust the liquid into and from the second-mentioned cylinder dependent upon the positions of the valves.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

DIEDRIOH WIESE. 

